


My Wayward Son

by Piper_Halliwell1979



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, M/M, Minor Character Death, Season 11 mentioned, Werewolves, mild homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-07
Updated: 2016-05-07
Packaged: 2018-06-06 22:51:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6773500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Piper_Halliwell1979/pseuds/Piper_Halliwell1979
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Dean's ex, Lisa, meets an untimely end the Winchesters go to pay their respects and to help Ben get closure.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> There are brief mentions of Season 11 events

Dean was in the garage trying to teach Cas how to tune up his pimpmobile. They were both covered in grease and grime but they were smiling, laughing, and stealing kisses. The newlyweds spent almost all their time together. Sam didn't mind. Having Cas around was like having another brother. It felt like a real family at the bunker lately. 

Sam had read the article two days ago. He needed to tell Dean but it was eating away at his gut. His brother was finally in a good place. If he showed it to Dean he would go straight back to hunter mode. Still...damnit. Sam took his laptop over to the couple.

"Hey guys, I hate to do this, but there's something you need to see." He set the computer down on the engine block.  
Dean scanned it and turned around in disbelief. Cas put an arm around him.

"This is really her? You checked into this?" Dean asked his brother.

"Of course, Dean. I'm sorry. I know this is the last thing you want to deal with right now." Sam felt a lump in his throat. He knew this brought up a very dark time for Dean.

"Is he...? Did it get him, too?" Dean's eyes were tearing up and his voice was breaking.

"He's fine, Dean. I read the police report. He was questioned so he's okay." Sam heaved a sigh. "What do you want to do?"

"We need to go. He may not remember me but the least I can do is gank the son of a bitch that got his mom."

Cas pulled Dean into a hug and kissed his temple. Sam placed a hand on his back. He was feeling extremely guilty right now for causing his brother this pain. 

"We'll go get cleaned up and put our bags together. I'll be right there with you, Dean. I know Ben means a lot to you and that Lisa did too." Cas was comforting his husband the best he could. He had felt the pain in Dean's heart when he asked that Lisa and Ben be erased of their memories of him. He sacrificed a big part of himself, ever the Righteous Man.

"Cas you shouldn't have to help me avenge my ex. It's not fair to you," Dean protested. Of course he wanted Cas with him but it didn't feel right.

"I love you, Dean. You're hurting and my place is by your side, helping you through this."  
Dean had no words. He just nodded and headed into the bunker. Cas and Sam followed behind. They needed to get their stuff together to head out to Indiana. Sam needed to make some new ID for Cas.

They hadn't discussed hunting much since the wedding but it was agreed that three agents didn't make much sense. Cas was going to stay close by as a crime writer shadowing the brothers. Sam created a cyber trail for him and his ID would be hyphenated to reflect his marital status with Dean's FBI persona. The conversation took place one night over beers and pizza and now it was getting implemented.

Dean drove the whole distance. Cas rode shotgun and held Dean's hand occasionally. They were all quiet and reserved. What could you say in this situation? Dean's time with Lisa changed him. He had a slice of the apple pie life. He had a kid, regular job, friends...then Sam came back. The hunting life put Lisa and Ben at risk and Dean had to leave them. Lisa had sworn Ben wasn't his but Sam knew Dean had his doubts. The older Ben got the more he looked like Dean.

"Dean, these people will recognize you. Maybe I ask a couple questions and you be you. Pay your respects." Sam suggested. "And showing up years later married to a guy, it answers questions before they can be asked."

"Fine, okay. We'll go get a couple rooms, you suit up, me and Cas go get funeral details."  
Of course the desk manager at the motel was the girlfriend, maybe wife by now, of a guy Dean worked with. She raised an eyebrow at three men getting two rooms.

"We have open vacancy," she said. Dean slid his arm around Cas and winked at her.

"If you were married to gorgeous man like mine would you want to spend a night away from him?" He signed for the rooms and took their keys. Sam had hung back and tried not to laugh.

"Did you have to objectify me, Dean?" Cas fussed at him when they left the office. 

"My husband is hot. I was bragging." Dean kissed the corner of Cas's frowning lips. "I'm sorry, babe." He got Cas to smile and promised to make it up to him when they settled in for the night. They tossed their bags on the bed and returned to the car. 

"I guess we can go cause a scandal at the diner," Cas said. "How many ridiculously handsome gay couples can this town have?" He was in a better mood.

"Now who's objectifying who?" Dean took Cas' hand and walked down the street. They got a couple smiles and a couple frowns but they were definitely going to be the hottest town gossip by sundown. By the time they were seated in a corner booth for lunch there were already some whispers.

"Dean!" Another familiar face. Madison? Addison? She was a kid at Ben's school when he last saw her. "Who's your friend?" She smiled sweetly but Dean knew she was probably "volunteered" to get the dirt.

Dean glanced at her name tag. "Well, Ashlynn, this is my husband, Cas." Cas extended his hand and smiled at her. She shook it and crouched down to whisper to them.

"You're here about Ben's mom, aren't you? It's terrible. Her uncle insisted she be buried here with her cousins. They moved not long after the accident. She had some memory problems and...she didn't remember you at all. She thought everybody was crazy."

"Yeah, I saw an article and I wanted to come pay my respects. See how Ben was doing. He probably doesn't remember me either." Cas put a comforting hand on Dean's shoulder.

Ashlynn took their orders and headed back to the counter. She was still pleasant when she came back a few minutes later. Dean guessed the busybodies were satisfied with her report. He'd leave her a decent tip. 

Before he settled the check he asked her if she knew which funeral home would be handling the services. There were only two and he told her he'd like to have flowers sent before the funeral. Ashlynn was happy to help him out. For a moment Dean wondered if Ben would have wound up with her had they stayed.

Dean and Cas were just going to walk around town since Sam would need to drive a couple towns over to talk to a coronor. Cas insisted they follow through on the flowers since they were going to pass right by a florist.

"Did you know her?" The older woman asked. 

"No, I never met her but my husband was close to her a few years ago. I'm doing the moral support thing," Cas replied. Dean was clueless about what would be proper so he let Cas pick out the arrangement.

"Aren't you a sweetheart! I guess it's true what they say about good men." She gave them a card to sign to send over with the flowers and assured them it would be delivered on time. She offered her condolences to Dean for his friend.

"Nice lady," Dean remarked. He probably never crossed paths with her before. But, the closer they got to the work truck parked on the side street they would encounter a whole crew of people Dean had worked with.

"Hey Deano! Haven't seen you in years! Guess you heard about Lisa?" 

Dean shook a few hands. "Yeah, just came to pay my respects. Um...Jim, Greg, Larry this is Cas, my husband." He made the introductions. The guys exchanged greetings. "I heard it was pretty bad. The accident, I mean."

"My cousin Jill was one of the paramedics on the scene. She said it looked like she got disoriented after the crash and crawled into the woods instead of toward the road. Some kind of big animal got to her before somebody called in the wreck." Jim shook his head. Then his eyes got wide. "I'm sorry, man. You probably don't want to hear that."

Dean waved him off. "It's okay. Graphic, but...how's Ben?"

"He was in the car but was out cold when they got to him. Last thing he remembered was something running out in the road and her swerving to miss it. At least he's eighteen. Won't wind up in the system."

Dean was thankful for that. Maybe he didn't see what happened to his mom. He wouldn't wind up in a group home. If Lisa's uncle was any count he'd take him in for a little while till he got on his feet. Or maybe Ben was already on his own or in college. Dean mentally kicked himself for not following up on them. 

"You guys seen him? Is he in town?" Dean asked.

"Nah, not yet. But he'll probably be at the motel. That where you guys staying?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll keep an eye out. Thanks. Good to see you again." Dean was getting nervous. He wanted to see Ben but at the same time he was ashamed of leaving them and having their memories of him erased.

"Good to see you, Dean. Hey, you know where we'll be around nine or so tonight." Jim shook Dean's hand and then shook Cas'. So far so good. He wondered if Sam had gotten as much info from "official" business as he had just through talking with townies.  
Cas put his hand on the small of Dean's back and guided him away from the group of men.

"I think this town is more progressive than I originally expected."

"Starting to think so, too, babe." He hooked an arm around Cas' neck and continued walking toward the funeral home.

* * *

  
"What does the FBI want with an animal attack, Agent Shield?" 

"We're not so sure it was, Dr. Collins. I mean, I know it's not unheard of for large predators to do extensive damage to a body but the heart is the only organ missing. We have to consider this as possible cult activity."

The doctor nodded and pulled out the table from the storage drawer. "You're welcome to take a second look but there are no tool marks around the chest wound. These are teeth and claw marks. Fish and Wildlife hasn't identified it yet."

Sam's heart sank when the sheet was pulled back. She was cleaned up and awaiting release to the funeral director. He looked her over and ceded to the coronor. "Sorry to waste your time. I have no reason to postpone your release." He'd seen what he needed to. Now they needed to figure out who attacked her. He excused himelf to call Dean

"We were right, Dean. I told them to go ahead so she can have a proper burial. No, I can stick around to finish it afterward. See Ben yet? Yeah, maybe later. See you back at the motel." Maybe he would hang around the bar tonight and see if anybody stood out.

* * *

  
All Dean could do was confirm the time of the service so he and Cas headed back to the motel. Sam wasn't back yet but there was a black El Camino in the lot that hadn't been there before. A man with dark hair, about his height, and wearing a Carhart jacket stepped out of it and slung a duffle bag over his shoulder. He reached in and retrieved a garment bag. Probably a suit for the funeral.   
Dean's instinct was to run up to him but that would be stupid. He didn't know for sure it was Ben and there was no guarantee he'd know who he was. He just stood there staring. Apparently doing nothing caught the guy's attention anyway. He called over to them.

"Hey! I know you. Kind of."

"Yeah? If your name's Ben I kind of know you too," Dean said nervously.

"When we moved I found a journal out in the garage. There was a picture of you with me and my mom. You're Dean." He stood in place, not advancing toward them. Dean decided to bridge the gap.

"We um, we split before the accident. I went to see you at the hospital but they told me you guys didn't remember me. Just wanted to come pay my respects." Dean looked down. He was still ashamed of the way we left Ben. "Oh, uh Ben this is Cas. He's my husband."

Ben smirked in an eerily similar expression to one of Dean's. "Guess that's why things didn't work out with you and my mom. Congrats, though."

"Thanks, kid. Listen, I really am sorry about your mom. You probably don't remember much about me but I lost my mom, too. You're gonna carry that weight on your chest for a long time." Dean hesitated before he pressed on. "I know it's not really my business, but...did you see what happened? I mean, I did with my mom so if you needed somebody to talk to..."

Ben scoffed. Six feet of cocky attitude. Dean was considering swiping his toothbrush to send out for a DNA test.

"Dean, I read your journal. I know what you're really asking. I saw the werewolf and I know you're hunting it, same as me."


	2. Chapter 2

"Fuck," was the only word Dean was capable of forming. He had barely written anything in that journal. He followed some news articles and made notes of them if another hunter rolled through towm. He wrote his fears and doubts about Lisa. He wrote his suspicions about Ben being his. He never wanted that life for Ben. Him having a normal life was the only thing holding back the regret of leaving him. 

Cas steadied his faltering husband and led him to a plastic lawn chair outside one of the rooms. Ben leaned back against his El Camino coolly. 

"My mom never talked about you. She didn't remember anything. I really don't remember you either but I know what you are. I know who you think I am and it's possible, probable. Maybe we'll get around to finding that out one day." Ben crossed his arms and stared Dean down. 

"How? How did you get sucked in to the life?" Dean asked. Cas' hands on his shoulders was the only thing keeping him grounded.

"I started bussing tables at a roadhouse when I was fifteen. I listened to stories and even heard yours and Sam's names a few times. I knew you weren't bat shit crazy or writing a horror novel when I heard other hunters talk about the same stuff I'd read. I started reading lore and taught myself to shoot, handle a decent knife." Ben unbuttoned his Henley and showed them his anti-possession tattoo. "Got this done by the bartender's old lady in their basement. She has a shop but I wasn't exactly legal and Mom would have skinned the damn thing off my chest if she knew."

Dean started to get angry. He wanted to lash out at the kid. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Ben played softball and got decent grades. He should be going off to college and drinking beer till he puked and dating and...anything else than following in Dean's footsteps. 

"What have you hunted?" Cas asked in his calm, even voice. He tilted his head and squinted at Ben.

"Done about six or seven salt and burns, helped a couple hunters clear out a vamp nest, rescued a witch's familiar, and was tracking a wolf duo making their way south. I thought I was a good day ahead of them when they got Mom." Ben's tough facade dropped. 

Cas stepped away from Dean to offer some comfort to the young man. "You don't have to tell us about that night if it's too painful. You need time to grieve, Ben. Bury your mother, mourn her, and we will help you hunt." Cas placed a hand on Ben's shoulder for a brief moment then returned to Dean.

"I can mourn after I gank the bastards." 

"I've been doing this longer than you've been alive, kid. I've played it your way. It's the hard way. I can't tell you what to do. Just...get through the next couple days as a son first, hunter second." Dean fought his parental urges back.

Ben looked like he was considering Dean's advice. He also looked like he hadn't slept in three days and probably had a bottle of JD tucked in his duffel. 

"Look, I thought I might run into a hunter or two but I didn't expect you. I was just tracking till now 'cause it's a damn fool thing to take on a pair by yourself. I was gonna get together a posse," he grinned. "I love me some posse." He winked at Dean. Cas rolled his eyes.

"Pardon me," Cas said. He took a quick three step stride to Ben and put his palm on his forehead. A shimmer of blue light flashed in Cas' eyes.

"Dude, what the fuck are you?" Ben pushed him away.

"Apparently your stepfather," Cas shot back. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gratuitous Destiel Love Scene!!

"I used to be an angel. I still have some abilities, including sensing similar genetic material between you and Dean."

Dean put his head in his hands. "Jesus, Cas. You don't just blurt that out."

"Dean, it was becoming more obvious by the minute so I had to confirm it. It's unsettling for all of us but it's in the open for us to deal with." Cas laughed to himself. "Nevermind. You don't like dealing with things so he probably doesn't either." He fished a key out of his pocket and stormed off to their room, slamming the door behind him.

Dean got up and rushed after him. "Baby, wait. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I snapped at you." He waited for Cas to let him in but the door stayed locked. He leaned his back against the door. 

Sam had just pulled in to see Cas stomping away from Dean. What did he do now? And was that Ben? This couldn't be good. He stepped out of the Impala and looked at the young man. "What just happened?"

"You Sam?"

"Yeah."

"Well, the angel used some kind of mojo on me and told me he's my step-dad and Dean snapped at him so over there is a domestic situation." 

"That's usually how that starts. It's like a Charlie Brown thing. Keep watching. Dean leans against the door and begs Cas to talk to him then Cas opens the door, Dean falls flat on his ass, and the door closes again. First thirty minutes or so is the fight and then you don't want to hear the making up."

"How long have they been together?"

"On and off for seven years then married for about one."

"This is my family, huh?"

Sam put a hand on his shoulder. "Yep. I say that almost daily." The information sunk in. "Wow. You're Dean's son, my nephew. Hell of a way to meet."

"I'll drink to that." Ben stood still next to his obnoxiously tall instant uncle. They kept their eyes on Dean. As Sam predicted Dean hit the floor when Cas finally opened the door. "Grab a burger?" He asked Sam. 

"Good idea."

* * *

  
"I'm the one who should be mad, here. You could have told me six years ago he was mine." Dean was trying hard not to yell. He was feeling overwhelmed and on the verge of a panic attack.

"I wasn't looking at him on a molecular level six years ago. I was doing you a huge favor and it didn't even matter. I helped you abandon your son and he still wound up in 'the family business' with a dead mother who was killed by werewolves." Cas was amped up. He held his own when he and Dean were fighting. "May as well tell him it was me that took the only memories he had of you so he can hate me."

The words stung Dean and he couldn't stop the flow of emotion pouring out of him. "You don't think that breaks my heart, Cas? What I asked you to do? It was hard enough when I didn't know he was mine." Dean sank down on the edge of the bed and let the tears flow. "We did the right thing, didn't we? He never saw me with the mark. He never saw me as a demon. He doesn't remember when I was vamped and terrified him. We spared him that much, right?"

Cas sat beside his husband and put his head on his shoulder. "We did, Dean. We did." He felt his anger dull. Everyone's emotions were being tested to their limits. "You're not John Winchester. You left him with his mother so he could have a better life. You've always wished your father had left you with Bobby to be raised differently." 

Cas put his arms around Dean and squeezed gently. Dean sniffled and turned to hug Cas back.. "So much is going through my head right now. I couldn't do this without you, baby. I love you." He kissed Cas on the neck. 

"I love you too, Dean. I'm sorry I blew up at you." Cas stroked Dean's hair and held him close. He nuzzled his face into Dean's shoulder. 

"You got nothing to be sorry about. It's a lot. For both of us." Dean kissed his jaw. He pulled back enough to ghost a kiss across Cas' lips. 

Cas put a hand on the back of Dean's neck and kissed him back passionately. His emotions were still churning. Dean yielded to him and allowed himself to be pushed back on the bed. Cas covered his body and positioned himself between Dean's legs.  
He tugged Dean's shirt free of his jeans, running a hand up his quaking torso. Dean made quick work of the buttons on Cas' shirt to get his mouth on Cas' shoulder. He sucked and bit to hear his husband moan. "Wait," Cas whispered. 

He disappeared down to the foot of the bed. He removed Dean's boots and socks. "Undo your pants," Cas commanded. He tugged them free and sent the denim flying across the room. Dean quickly shed the shirt and boxers as well to leave him naked and vulnerable before Cas.

Cas rose up to stand over Dean. He removed his own clothing slowly to build the anticipation. Dean was looking up at him with pleading eyes. His hand was in the duffle bag beside him on the bed. When he found the plastic bottle he offered it up to Cas.

"I want you, Cas. Want you so bad." Dean was getting thicker and harder. Cas put his hands on his thighs and lowered himself to put his hot breath on Dean's groin. "You're making me crazy, baby." Dean bucked his hips up to Cas' mouth.

Cas licked his lips and raised an eyebrow. He took the lube from Dean. He pressed his tongue to the base of Dean's shaft and licked a long stripe up. He enveloped the tip with his mouth at the same moment he pushed a slick finger inside Dean. He worked his way in and out as he made slow passes up and down Dean's member.

He added a second finger and Dean gripped the handful of hair he'd been carding with his fingers. Dean pulled his knees up. "You gotta stop. Want you...inside...when I come," Dean panted. Cas' mouth released him and his heavy dick hit his stomach with a wet thwack sound. He whined at the emptiness of Cas pulling his fingers out.

Cas crawled up on the bed, his cock already generously lubed for Dean. He lined himself up and pushed forward. Dean seized around him and he waited to be told to move. He leaned all the way forward to kiss Dean then hooked his arm under Dean's knee. "Ready?" Dean nodded. Cas started a steady rocking motion.

Dean wrapped his arms and legs around Cas. He stared hard into his husband's eyes and met his strokes with enthusiasm. "Harder," he demanded. He wanted Cas to pound him into the squeaking mattress. The only thing he wanted to feel was the pleasure pain of Cas plowing deep inside him. He was just on the edge of climax.

Cas changed their position just slight enough to hit Dean's prostate hard with the next thrust. "Fuck!" Dean cried out. Hot come burst up on his stomach. He pumped and throbbed untouched. His head was swimming and Cas kept hitting that bundle of sensitive nerves. He was shaking and sweating by the time he felt Cas empty his own load inside him.

"You okay?" Cas asked after he caught his breath. He eased out of Dean and lay beside him.

"I don't think I've ever come like that before. You know, except for the occasional wet dream. You're amazing, Cas." 

Cas smiled lazily at him. His frustration was worked out and he'd fully sated his husband. "Let me know when you can feel your legs again. I'm not carrying you to the shower." 

Dean laughed. "You know I miss the angel mojo. You could just zap the jizz off us when we make love."

They lay like that a bit longer before Cas finally got up and headed to the bathroom. Dean groaned but forced himself off the bed when he heard the water start. He would send Sam a text later to let him know the dust settled and the coast was clear.


	4. Chapter 4

"Looks like they're done making up." Sam returned his phone to his pocket after reading Dean's text. He motioned for the check. Ben was just picking at his fries anyway after wolfing down a bacon chili cheese burger. If this kid only knew how much like his father he was.

"Do they fight a lot?"

"Actually, they don't really fight. Dean talks before he thinks and Cas takes things the wrong way. There's some yelling and pouting and then they apologize. The whole process takes about an hour."

"My mom never had a steady boyfriend. She dated but she never considered them husband material. I've known Cas for less than an hour and I already like him. No bullshit, says what's on his mind."

Sam paid and tipped the waitress. "He's a great guy. I considered him a brother before they made it official. I hope you decide you want to get to know us all better. I would love to show you the bunker back home. There's a ton of books and research you could spend years reading."

Ben stood up and grabbed his jacket. He winked at Ashlynn, who was in another section, and made his way toward the door. She scribbled something on her order pad and passed it to him.

"Got her number?" Sam teased.

"Of course." Ben smirked just like Dean. Nature won out over nurture with this kid. "Hey, Sam?"

"Yeah?" Ben scuffed his foot as they hit the sidewalk. "Thanks for just being, I don't know, 'normal' with me right now. No awkward hugs or a million questions about my childhood. No treating me like little orphan Annie. No overselling Dean to me. You're pretty awesome."

"No problem, Ben. We all barely know each other and that takes time and building up trust. If you just want to know us as seasoned hunters right now I'm good with that. For my part, I want to get to know you better. Just putting it out there." Sam knew Dean and Cas would want the same.

Ben nodded. This instant family popping up after losing his mother could be a good thing. He didn't really know his great-uncle too well either. But with the Winchesters he could learn to hunt with legends. He could have two parents for once and a really cool uncle. It was a lot to think about, especially when he was already burdened with grief and anger.

They walked the rest of the distance in silence. Dean and Cas were sitting on lawn chairs outside their room. They must have confiscated a couple loose ones. They looked more relaxed. They were even holding hands.

"I apologize for my behavior earlier, Ben." Cas looked a little embarassed. So did Dean.

"Yeah, me too, kid. You got enough on your plate without us making a scene."

"Sam filled me in. Married people bicker." Ben shrugged his shoulders.

Dean and Cas exchanged a look and stood up. "So who's room are we going over the case in? Let's work this like any other job. Midnight cutoff, though so we don't all look like shit at the funeral tomorrow. Sound good?" Dean said.

"Mine's fine," Sam offered. He got out his key to let them in. Ben went to his room to get the files out of his bag. In twenty minutes they had a workable war room set up for the family of hunters to go over.

Dean was impressed with the intel and tracking his estranged son had compiled. He was smart like Sam but had a passion for the work Dean wished he didn't have. He wanted to act the patriarchal part. His instinct was to be a father. He'd always been the nurturer.

Sam set the the tone, though. He treated Ben like a young hunter, praising what he got right and guiding him where he came up short. He got to be the cool uncle without the pressure. Dean guessed it was easier since Sam didn't have memories of Ben and the guilt of leaving him behind.

At least as it neared their midnight deadline they had a solid plan. If they could pinpoint where the next likely attack would occur, Dean and Cas would be in the Impala because Dean would have the best reflexes behind the wheel. Ben and Sam would hang back in the El Camino. Everybody would be properly armed and nobody separates. Dean hoped his kid didn't try any macho bullshit but his gut told him Ben most likely would.

They left Sam's room and started their separate ways to their own rooms. Ben turned and stopped Dean. "Can we talk for a minute?" he asked. Dean motioned for Cas to go on without him. Ben lowered the tailgate on his car for them to sit. "You don't like that I'm a hunter much." It was a statement rather than a question.

"This life, I thought I was closer to the finish line. Me and Cas would cut back on field work and be full-time Men of Letters. I don't know if Sam told you much about it but I guess you're a legacy. It's in your Winchester blood just as much being a hunter is." He stalled answering till he could find the right words. "I've spent my life watching out for Sam. I've spent years worried about Cas. I thought I was doing the right thing by you when I disappeared. I wanted better for you. This ain't it. But you're a grown man and if you're as much like me as you seem, telling you to run from the fire is a sure way to get you to jump into the flames."

Ben took that all in. "I was expecting you to go alpha and try to forbid me from hunting."

Dean sighed. "I used to be that guy. Every instinct in my brain is telling me to be that guy. But you'd put a whole country between us like Sam did with our old man. I don't want that. I want a son. I always wanted you to be mine." Dean hoped Ben couldn't see his misty eyes or hear the tremble in his voice.

"I miss my mom. I want to do right by her and finish this job. I can't see past that right now." Ben got quiet so Dean took it as a cue to go. "I never had a dad and I don't need one. I like you guys, okay? That's got to be enough for now."

"It's a start, kid. And for what it's worth, we'd have offered you a family even if you weren't mine. A wise man once said that family don't end with blood. Get some rest. We got a long day tomorrow." Dean walked away with a huge lump in his throat.


	5. Chapter 5

"You look fine, honey." Cas brushed a hair back in place for Dean and adjusted his tie. He gave him a quick peck on the lips to calm him. They stepped back to get a final glance in the mirror. They could be models in another life.

"Have I told you just how awesome you are? About all this?" He took Cas' hand and squeezed it. "We never talked about kids and now we have a grown son."

"We already have Claire. She's not really mine but since my body is entirely my own we share genetics."

Dean laughed nervously. "Our kids are old enough to make us grandparents." He was not ready for that. He wasn't even forty. He pushed that thought to the back burner 

He offered to drive the four of them to the funeral parlour. Ben looked even more like Dean when he was suited up. If they stood together long enough today the whole town would take it as confirmation that he was Ben's father. Small towns.

Lisa's uncle met them at the door. "The first hour is family only."

"I'm Ben, her son. This is my dad Dean, my step-dad Cas, and my uncle Sam. We're family. I suppose you're my mom's uncle."

"I didn't recognize you. And I didn't know your mom had married," he said eyeing Cas.

"She didn't." Ben stared down the older man. If they'd met at some point he didn't recall. He'd spent enough time on the phone with him to cede the funeral and burial arrangements to him. It didn't matter where his mother was buried. She died violently and could be a vengeful spirit. He would ask Dean to be with him when he made sure she was at rest.

* * *

  
That first hour was quiet. There was no other family but Ben insisted anyone else who showed up early be allowed in. He recognized a few faces from his childhood and some of his mom's coworkers. He stood for three hours accepting condolences and fielding whispered questions about the well-dressed strangers who kept most to themselves but near Ben. 

They sat together in the front row for the actual services. Ben opted not to give a eulogy. Nothing he said to those people would convey how amazing his mother was. The people who knew her best didn't know how awesome she was. It was all for show. He would get his real closure when when the mangy wolves were on ice.

He didn't cry when his mother's casket was lowered in the ground. Dean and Cas stood on either side of him, a hand on each shoulder. It was a small but profound gesture. They were there for him more in two short days than anyone except his mother. Following them back to Kansas was sounding more like the right decision.

There was a reception of sorts at the bar afterward. Dean and Sam made sure Ben got a couple drinks. Dean mingled a bit with the handful of people he knew. They were mostly receptive to Cas as they had been the day before. However, being a bar in the midwest, there had to be at least one loudmouth who wasn't part of the funeral party who had to voice his opinion.

"Why don't you take that back to California or wherever you fruity pebbles came from? It's an abomination and you and your boyfriend are going to spend an eternity in hell!" 

To everyone's surprise Dean and Cas burst into laughter. Sam did as well. They'd spent a collective lifetime in hell and it sure wasn't for their sexual activities. Ben looked defensive.

"Look, I don't know you, you don't know me. In a couple days my HUSBAND and I will be back home in Kansas because us 'fruity pebbles' are everywhere. And Cas...he kind of has a temper when it comes to bigots. I wouldn't piss off Smitey McSmiterson." Dean winked at him and easily deflected his punch. 

A couple guys grabbed the drunk and walked him out. Dean walked back to the corner Ben and Sam were sitting in. 

"Smitey McSmiterson?" Ben asked.

"Cas went on a power trip once and smited this homophobic televangelist. Scary, but awesome. He said on national television that be was 'utterly indifferent to sexual orientation'." Dean answered.

"That's badass. How does this whole angel thing work? I thought you guys were...junkless."

"In our true form we are but our human vessels are for the most part intact and fully functional. My vessel's soul is long gone to heaven so I am entirely myself." Cas explained.

"I have a million questions about all that stuff. Do you know God? Is heaven a nice place for my mom? Is there a hell?"

"Hell is real. We've all been there. Lucifer is Cas' older brother and he's a real dick. God is their dad but he goes by Chuck. We're civil but not on the best terms. And your mom gets her own heaven filled with the best memories." Dean fielded that one. 

"And we're kind of frenemies with the king of hell, Crowley." Sam offered.

"Okay, humanity question. How does a hunter fall for an angel and wind up married? I thought married hunters were like unicorns." 

"We met, worked together, fought each other, saved each other, somewhere along the way we realized we couldn't live without each other." Dean smiled at Cas and took his hand. "Love of my life." Cas smiled warmly back at him. 

"We met a married couple, Cesar and Jesse. We helped them on a case and they got out of the life. Good guys." Sam reminisced.

Dean was feeling hopeful. Ben was asking questions and had referred to him as his dad to a few people. He sat with them at the corner table as the mourning crowd thinned. Around sunset Dean went and paid the tab. Sam stood and said, "We've got work to do."


	6. Chapter 6

Sam put in a call to Garth to make sure one of his pack was in the area and to find out if there were any rogue wolves he knew of in the area. Dean and Cas put in calls to a couple more hunters to check for a change in the pattern of heading south.

Dean looked over the aerial map Sam had printed out. "Looks like if they're going to hunt here this would be a good road to ambush a driver. Plenty of woods, far enough from town for low traffic." He tapped on the paper.

Ben looked over it. "Dean, there's a campground in this area. I went there for some lame ass birthday party thing. I don't know if anybody still uses it. It's been years."

Sam typed rapidly on his laptop. "He's right. It's been shutdown and in foreclosure for about four years now. Should we go for a plan B?"

"Ben? This is your hunt. You got us this far. What do you want to do?" Dean asked him. Ben paced a bit, rubbing his jaw. He looked like a chess player contemplating moves toward the endgame.

"The smart move is to take them down at the den. Too much ground to cover chasing them through the woods. They could double back, force us to separate. Let's hit the cabins."

Dean clapped a hand on his back. "Good strategy, kid. You got a layout, Sammy?"

"One sec, Dean." He turned the laptop around. "Four cabins and a rental hall for parties. Picnic area, fire pits...probably a field of broken beer bottles now. We're going to have to drive up from the East and make our way along a hiking trail to get there. Too obvious to come at it from the paved parking lot."

"Okay. Let's gear up and head out." Dean declared. They were on the road in fifteen minutes.

The turn off for the hiking trail was hard to see but it meant there was a better chance no one else was using it. Dean parked the Impala in a small clearing and showed Ben the armory in the trunk. He was impressed. He picked up one of the Kevlar vests.

"Riot gear?" He asked.

"Nope. We're gonna strap in. Sam took a gut shot and was almost a goner on a wolf hunt. I don't take the chance if I don't have to." Dean helped him get it on and tight. "Sound investment."

Cas passed out the rounds and made sure Ben understood their hand signals. Every man was on the ready as the made it down the trail. Dean took point as usual. 

They decided to clear the cabins before taking on the hall. The windows were mostly busted out and graffiti adorned the floors and walls. Dirty blankets and cots were surrounded by beer and soda cans and melted down candles. This was definitely a cracked den or hookup spot. Maybe both. At least they were all pretty much open layouts so it was easy to check for recent squatting activity. None of the four cabins looked like they had been disturbed lately.

Dean and Ben took the kitchen entrance. They surveyed the room and found more disturbances in the dust than they had in the cabins. Someone had been in there recently. They cleared the pantry and the walk in cooler. 

Sam and Cas took a side entrance to the main hall and found sleeping bags, a lantern, and some clothes. Could be a homeless person, though. Cas called the all clear to Dean.

"Well, we could find a couple vantage points and wait to see if they come back or we can go back to the car and try plan A." Dean suggested.

"Someone has been crashing here. They're either the werewolves or prey. I say we watch it for awhile." 

* * *

  
They had been hiding for less than an hour before they heard rustling in the woods.

"I'm so fucking hungry," a female voice said.

"You're always hungry. Let's just bag a deer. Nobody's on the road tonight. I told you this town was too small for anyone to be leaving it." Another woman.

"Fine. Let's check the trap and see if we got one. And we're splitting the heart."

Sam was in the better position the get a successful shot. He dug in his pocket for the silencer to screw into the barrel. When the taller of the two came into range he aimed and squeezed the trigger. It went through her throat and felled her. The shorter blonde dropped down and looked around wildly.

She started running into the woods toward Dean and Cas. Sam and Ben took off after her, jumping over the lifeless body Sam dropped. Sam tried calling out a warning but she had already found the other hunters. Dean was on the ground and Cas was trying to subdue her. 

The small woman slammed Cas back into a tree, knocking the wind out of him. Dean sat up to fire his gun but she was fast and strong. She knocked the gun away and snarled. Her arm raised and the claws came out. Dean braced himself for her scratch.

"Get away from him, you bitch!" Ben screamed at the wolf-woman. She looked away from Dean and several bullets landed center mass on her body. Dean scrambled away from her as she started to fall on him.

"Good job, kid." he said. He crawled over to check Cas for bites or scratches.

"I'm okay, Dean." He insisted. 

Ben was shaking. He had been seconds away from losing another parent to the same monster who ate his mother's heart. He saved Dean. He saved his dad. He barely registered Sam taking his gun. He came out of his daze sometime after Dean had started hugging him.


	7. Chapter 7

"This is gonna be one of the hardest things you ever do. You can still back out. I can do this." Dean stood with a shovel in his hand, looking into Lisa's grave.

"No. I have to. But I want you here with me." Ben climbed down to unlatch the coffin lid. She wasn't his mother. His beautiful mom was in heaven and this was just a vessel her soul used for awhile. He doused the body with the entire bottle of lighter fluid and a full can of sea salt. Dean helped him back up.

Together they lit matches and tossed them down. Ben allowed himelf to cry for the first time since he saw his mother get dragged into the woods. Dean held him tight and let the boy sob into his shoulder. A few moments later Cas and Sam had their arms around him too, completely encircling him. He had a family and they loved him.

Sam stayed until the flames died down to shovel the earth back in the hole. Dean and Cas took Ben back to the motel so he could shower and get some sleep. He still hadn't said if he was going to come back home with them. 

Just before daylight Sam made it back to the hotel. He showered and hit the bed, forgetting to give Ben his car keys back. He got four hours of sleep before Dean called to wake him up.

"We got donuts and coffee in our room. Ben's here." Sam didn't even get to grumble a response before Dean hung up. He dressed quickly and headed over.

Seeing Ben with Dean and Cas was heart-warming for Sam. He was less guarded, more comfortable. The kid still looked sad and exhausted and he would be for a long time. He could take the time to grieve for his loss, process all the emotions, and move on. He was already on a better path than the brothers Winchester.

"You heading out today?" Sam asked his nephew. 

"Yeah. I got some stuff to take care of. I'm done letting creepy uncle handle mom's affairs. Her friend Nora is a lawyer. I'm gonna ask her to help me settle the estate, sell the house."

"Going nomad?" Dean asked. His heart fell a little that Ben didn't list coming to the bunker in his plans.

"I'm not sure what comes next for me. I'm trying not to look too far ahead." Another vague answer. Cas rubbed Dean's back.

Saying their goodbyes and parting ways was hard. Dean gave Ben his numbers and the coordinates to the bunker. He also gave him one of the Kevlar vests so he could be safe. Dean cried quietly for the first hour or so of the drive home.

Dean still had a spark of hope. He cleaned up one of the bedrooms in the bunker. He bought a few things to make it more homey. He placed copies of some of his favorite books on the shelf as well as a stack of copies of his favorite CDs. If Ben came to visit it would be a passive way for him to get to know his father better. No pressure.

Sam set up a switchboard so they could spend more time as a hub for the hunting network. They waited for a call for support to come through from Ben but accepted that no news was likely good news. He'd exchanged a few texts with them over his dealings with real estate and inheritance taxes but nothing too personal.

After three months Dean and Cas declared themselves retired from active hunting. Sam gave up solo gigs but still went out for backup or to pose as a Fed when another hunter called in for support. Cas worked on translating all their Enochian and Aramaic texts. Dean was the new Bobby. 

Six months after Lisa's funeral a black El Camino pulled up with boxes in the back and a tarp covering them. Dean answered the door with his gun just out of sight. He gasped at the sight before him. Ben looked so much older after so little time. He was scruffy, had a thigh holster, and wore a leather jacket that had seen better days. Dean pulled him over the threshold into a tight embrace. "Welcome home, kid."

 


End file.
